Chapter 10 - The Man in the Parking Garage
Victor Dane survived.
Barely.
He was found inside his rental car with a severe head injury and no phone.
His wallet remained.
His watch remained.
The hard drive from his laptop did not.
Boston police immediately treated the incident as an assault.
Julian stood outside the intensive care unit at Massachusetts General while rain struck the hospital windows.
He had known Victor for fourteen years.
They had built offices together.
Argued over acquisitions.
Celebrated contracts.
Julian had attended Victor’s daughter’s graduation.
Now he did not know whether the man behind the glass was a victim, a conspirator, or both.
Michael joined him.
“Doctors say he might wake tonight.”
Julian nodded.
“You still think he did it?”
“I don’t know.”
“You sounded convinced in the meeting.”
“I sounded angry.”
“That has never stopped you from sounding convinced.”
Julian looked at him.
Michael lowered his voice.
“The board is calling an emergency session tomorrow.”
“About Santoro?”
“About you.”
Julian laughed without humor.
“Of course.”
“They’re worried the scandal is expanding.”
“I did not hire Santoro.”
“No. But your signature is on approvals.”
“I signed hundreds.”
“That defense will look terrible in print.”
Julian turned toward the window.
Eight years earlier, Miranda had once accused him of treating signatures like royal decrees.
You don’t even read what people put in front of you anymore, she had said.
He had answered, That’s why I pay them.
At the time, he thought it was clever.
Now two dead workers seemed to be standing inside that sentence.
Across Boston, Adrien sat beside his father in a secure conference room.
Harrison Calloway looked older than he had two days earlier.
Daniel Carver had worked for him for eleven years.
He knew the names of family physicians.
Security rotations.
Private travel habits.
Adrien’s relationship with Miranda had been one of the few secrets he had been trusted to protect.
“Carver’s passport?” Adrien asked.
“Flagged.”
“Accounts?”
“Under review.”
“Family?”
“Wife died six years ago. One son in London.”
“Any connection to Victor?”
Harrison slid a document across the table.
“University.”
Adrien read it.
Daniel Carver and Victor Dane had attended the London School of Economics within two years of each other.
Not proof.
But another line.
“Did you know?”
“No.”
“Did background investigators?”
“Yes. It meant nothing at the time.”
Adrien leaned back.
His father rubbed both hands over his face.
“I brought him into our homes.”
“You trusted him.”
“That is the problem.”
Adrien looked at him.
“No. Betrayal is the problem.”
Harrison gave a tired smile.
“You sound like Miranda.”
“That’s because she’s usually right.”
His father smiled faintly.
Then his expression changed.
“Adrien.”
“What?”
“There is something I have not told you.”
Adrien’s shoulders tightened.
Harrison stood and walked toward the window.
“Three years ago, Carver advised me to support Santoro Maritime for a government logistics trial.”
Adrien froze.
“Did you?”
“No. Our commission rejected them.”
“Why?”
“Safety concerns.”
Adrien stared.
“Before the accident?”
“Yes.”
The room went silent.
“If Bellmont had records showing Santoro was dangerous,” Adrien said slowly, “Hayes Meridian’s compliance team could have discovered them.”
“Yes.”
“And Carver would have known that.”
“Yes.”
“Then why recommend them to you?”
Harrison turned.
“I believe he was testing whether he could influence procurement.”
Adrien felt cold.
“And when it failed?”
“He found another path.”
Hayes Meridian.
Victor Dane.
Candace’s family connection.
Adrien’s jaw tightened.
“This wasn’t just corporate corruption.”
“No.”
“It was a network.”
Harrison nodded.
“And networks usually have more than two people.”
At Harbor Light, Miranda tried to focus on work.
She failed.
Northstar Medical had not restored its pledge.
Two additional donors requested clarification about the Bellmont controversy.
Naomi entered with coffee.
“You are officially banned from refreshing news sites.”
“I’m not refreshing.”
“You have three browsers open.”
“That could mean anything.”
Naomi closed the laptop.
“Miranda.”
She looked up.
Naomi sat.
“You know what worries me?”
“What?”
“You’re starting to treat every problem like it’s your responsibility.”
Miranda stared.
“You sound like Adrien.”
“Excellent. He can marry me next.”
Miranda laughed.
Then stopped.
“I built Harbor Light because I wanted something that was mine.”
“It is yours.”
“No.”
Miranda shook her head.
“It belongs to the families we serve.”
“Even better.”
“And now my personal life is costing them donations.”
“That is not your fault.”
“It is my problem.”
Naomi leaned closer.
“Those are different.”
Before Miranda could answer, her phone rang.
Peter Vale.
She almost ignored it.
Then answered.
“What?”
“I found Daniel Carver.”
Miranda stood.
“Where?”
“Not physically.”
“What does that mean?”
“I found his money.”
Adrien entered the office just as Miranda put the call on speaker.
Peter continued.
“Carver received payments through a consulting company registered in Malta.”
“From whom?” Adrien asked.
“Several entities.”
“Names.”
“One traces back to Santoro.”
Adrien’s eyes hardened.
“And the others?”
Peter hesitated.
“That’s why I called.”
Miranda felt dread.
“Peter.”
“One belongs to a Boston investment firm.”
“Which?”
“Whitmore Capital Partners.”
Miranda frowned.
“I’ve never heard of them.”
Adrien had.
His expression changed.
“What?”
He looked at Miranda.
“Whitmore Capital is one of Hayes Meridian’s largest institutional shareholders.”
“How large?”
“Enough to influence the board.”
Peter’s voice lowered.
“And guess who sits on their advisory council?”
Miranda waited.
“Julian’s older brother.”
Miranda stopped breathing.
“Julian doesn’t have a brother.”
May you like
Peter was silent for one beat.
“Yes,” he said. “He does.”
